


28 Days of Mike & Mack Shepard

by ladyamesindy



Series: M&M - Mike and Mack Shepard (Mass Effect Trilogy) [1]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Character Development, Twin Shepards, sibling shepards
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:27:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 7,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24311290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyamesindy/pseuds/ladyamesindy
Summary: Character development for a pair of my twin Shepards from the Mass Effect games.
Series: M&M - Mike and Mack Shepard (Mass Effect Trilogy) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1755055
Kudos: 2





	1. Forget My Name

**Author's Note:**

> Some years ago, I participated in the "28 Days of Commander Shepard" prompts over on Tumblr. I managed to post these over there, but not over here. When I left Tumblr over a year and a half ago, I thought I'd lost these all, but I just came across them in my saved MSWord files. So, have "28 Days of Commanders Mike and Mack Shepard".

**1 // Forget my Name:** What is Shepard’s first and middle name? Are they important or meaningful names? How do they feel about their name?

_John Michael Shepard_ \- “Mike” is the eldest of the twins and was thought to be an only child at first, weighing in at 6.5 pounds. He is named for both of his grandfathers but goes by “Mike” as John is his father’s name as well.

 _Jane MacKenna Shepard_ \- “Mack” is the younger of the twins and was the surprise. Arriving at barely 5 pounds, she was named for both grandmothers in the hopes that their names would lend her the strength to survive her difficult beginning. Little did the family know just how providential her naming would be.


	2. All In the Family

2 // All in the Family: Did Shepard have siblings? Parents? How was their relationship with family members?

Mike and Mack only had each other for siblings growing up on Mindoir. At times they were extremely close, willing to defend the other to death (this usually came about if someone was picking on the other). Other times (especially when Mike was teasing Mack), not so much and the other would end up having to explain to Mom Shepard about a black eye or a bruise or scrape. For the most part, though, they got along well enough together in their youth. The batarian attack on Mindoir changed things and most definitely brought them closer together now that they only had each other left.

Mom and Dad Shepard raised them to be strong, independent thinking, self-reliant. Though at times this could come back to haunt them (‘discussions’ over dinner regarding the rights to participate in certain activities and be treated as responsible individuals notwithstanding), the twins loved and respected their parents and though their deaths devastated them on levels they had not known before, they hold the memories of them close. The family was a tightly knit one, and that still shows in the twins’ relationship years later.


	3. Starchild

**3 // Starchild:** How was Shep’s childhood? Friends, schooling - did they like where they grew up?

Mike was always an easy, outgoing extrovert who enjoys hanging around with friends and trying to impress (Mack insists it’s flirting with) the girls. And while he can be somewhat choosy about those he becomes good friends with, once accepted they are considered family. During his school years, Mike pretty much set himself up as a ‘defender’ type. As for schooling itself, like most kids he had his favorite subjects and those he detested. For the most part he was a decent student, was almost always in attendance (he tried skipping once ... got caught by Mom and never tried it again), and enjoyed playing any outdoor team sport he could get involved with. Around the age of fourteen and in an attempt to protect his sister from one of their more obnoxious classmates, it was discovered that Mike had biotic abilities. He was sent off to be fitted with an implant and given basic training. The months that he and his twin were separated threw him for more of a loop than anything ever had to that point. Still, upon his return, things between them fell back into place almost immediately, reassuring both that the biotics would not be something to come between them.

Mack was, on the whole, almost completely opposite of her twin, but not for the reasons one might expect. Up until the age of nine, Mack was as outgoing and boisterous as her brother. ‘M & M,’ as their parents called them’ use to do almost everything together. Mack enjoyed running around, becoming a part of the games they and their friends played, typical behavior for a child her age. But near her eighth birthday, she began suffering from serious debilitating headaches. First it was one every couple of weeks, but within a year, she was suffering on an almost daily basis. After visiting with several doctors, the truth was finally discovered. 'Cancer' and 'Tumor' were difficult words for a child to undersand fully. Surgery and treatment followed and she was soon back at home and eventually school. As a result, she learned several very important life lessons at a very young age. After kids at school teased her about her scars from the surgery, Mack withdrew (physically and emotionally), holding herself back from almost everyone except for her parents and her twin. She found solace in the solitude, friendship in the characters of the stories she would read, strength in being dependent only upon herself. Shying away from team sports, she sought out individual activities. She ran cross country, finding escape in the long distances and time alone. Like most kids in the colony, Mack was taught by her father to handle a gun by the age of twelve. She took up with the school’s shooting team, eventually the top-ranked member.

As for Mindoir, the twins were born there and until the age of sixteen (except while Mike was away for his implant and biotic training) did not leave. Security in the form of family, friends and home were simply assumed, and until the batarian attack, never challenged. After the attack, though their childhood view of Mindoir did not change, their overall view of life in the colonies did and was in large part what directed them both to service in the Systems Alliance.


	4. Bad Reputation

**4 // My Bad Reputation:** Is Shepard a War Hero, Sole Survivor, or Ruthless type? How does it affect them?

Here’s where it gets interesting ....

Mike is a Ruthless type. 

After events leading to his and Mack’s escape from Mindoir, it took Mike a long time to ‘get over’ the incident. Though close, this was one area even he felt inclined to keep from speaking of, even to his twin. They’d lived it, they’d saved each other’s lives too many times to count during their escape, and though she didn't ask him to not speak of it, he felt that it would only bring up horrible memories for them both and so he chose to keep silent. That silence, however, allowed his anger to find fuel and burn hot and strong in the background. The attack did nothing to improve his views of the batarians, either. Though not the ultimate reason for his enlistment, over the years it became apparent that his love for the batarians was minimal at best, non-existent at worst. It was not exclusively the reason he volunteered for Torfan either, though it was part of it. Afterwards, this particular experience, like their shared recollections of the attack on Mindoir, was one of the few things he kept from his sister and refused to discuss with her. Ever. At times, it has become an issue between them, often leading to severe strain on their relationship. As for how it affects him, he’d probably argue that it doesn’t ... but deep down, he knows it does. He doesn’t necessarily like the decision he made, but it was one that HAD to be made. Mission first. Duty first. Protection of those who can’t protect themselves (or possibly vengeance for them) first. In his head, it all amounts to the same thing. The nickname “The Butcher of Torfan” does not bother him in the least. 

Mack is a Sole Survivor. Though she and Mike enlisted together on their eighteenth birthday, they ended up following separate career paths within the military. They stayed in almost daily contact, though, with brief messages, usually right before hitting the sack at night. On Akuze, however, broke that habit. Instead of regaling her twin with the events of each day, Mack was radio silent ... until the last day when she sent him four words, “I am a survivor.” It was a week before she was able to speak to him again. Her survival was considered by most to be ‘miraculous,’ but Mack knew better. Timing was everything, and she accepted that someone or something was watching out for her there. As her squad returned from a routine patrol, they noticed an odd flashing light near camp. Together, they went to investigate, only to find out too late that a thresher maw had attacked during their absence and most of their unit was killed or MIA. Of the forty-five or so left in camp, only two remained alive, barely. She and her squad reacted quickly, offering care and comfort to their camrades-in-arms and calling for help. But it was too late. The maw attacked again. Three of Mack's squadmates were killed outright along with the two they were helping. Mack and one other attempted to draw the maw away, luring it across camp to where they had several Makos parked. However, as she attempted to scramble inside one vehicle to use the cannon against the creature, maw acit hit her left arm, burning through her armor and scarring the flesh beneath. Though the armor absorbed the majority of the damage, she still carries a scar that runs from her shoulder down to her elbow. After rescue and during her recuperation, she was offered the opportunity to remove the mark with surgery. Mack refused. She wanted to keep it as a reminder of her team, of their sacrifice, and that she continued to be a survivor when the odds were against her. Having stared death in the face for a third time in her short life, Mack has come to the conclusion that she is meant for some specific purpose, though she does not know what that is. This is not to say that she does not suffer from after effects - she still occasionally relives the attacks in her dreams, hears the voices of her fellow soldiers screaming for help. 


	5. What If?

**5 // What If:** If Shep wasn’t a soldier, what would they have been? What did they want to be as a child?

As children of agriculturists, both Mike and Mack grew up with the skills to follow in their parents’ footsteps. For the most part, both were satisfied with that. The idea of living with the land, working with it, encouraging it was something that they’d inherited from both parents. For months, there was talk (over an evening meal, during chores, even on walks to and from town) of purchasing more land so that each twin would have some to call their own on which to test their skills as they saw fit. In the months leading up to the slaver raid, the ‘discussion’ of how their land would be used became a near bone of contention between the twins, occasionally involving their parents stepping in to calm things down when it became too heated. Mike was in favor of expanding the variety of crops they were currently growing while Mack was leaning more towards an expansion into animal husbandry. 

After their escape off Mindoir, the decision to join the Systems Alliance was as immediate as it was unanimous between the two. And while a small part of it was influenced by the marines who rescued them off the colony, both Mike and Mack realized immediately that the talents and skills they had relied upon for three days to get them to a position of safety were more beneficial than arguing over crops and animals. Once they were placed into foster care, for the next two years both focused on additional training and schooling that would be beneficial for an Alliance marine. When their eighteenth birthday arrived, they walked into the recruitment station side-by-side without looking back.


	6. Keep it Classy

**6 // Keep it Classy:** What class is Shepard? Did their class evolve over the course of the games?

Given his ‘in your face’ and physical sort of personality, it’s no surprise that Mike is/was/always will be a vanguard. Soldier to the core, he was always big for his age, strong and powerful. The onset of his biotics only enhanced these abilities, making him that much more effective. 

Mack, on the other hand, discovered a preference for tactics and shadows. An exceptional shot with decent tech abilities, she prefers to confuse her enemies by shooting and relocating her position while leaving the enemy confused and in disarray. 

Together on the battlefield, just the two of them, Mike and Mack are a two-person squad of exceptional and deadly skill, even without their N7 training taken into consideration. When on the battlefield with a balanced squad of their preference, they are near undefeatable. 


	7. Chink in the Armor

**7 // Chink in the Armour:** What colours does Shepard wear, and why? Are they a fan of heavy or light armour?

Always out front and center in the middle of the fight, Mike prefers the heavy armor for obvious reasons. Color doesn’t really matter much to him, so he usually sticks with the standard N7 gear. The only adjustments he focuses on are anything that might give him a bonus to his Charge speed, his attacks, or anything that boosts his shields in battle. 

Mack’s color preferences came about as a response to her twin teasing her about having led such a ‘black and blue’ sort of life. Life has always been a battle for her. Defeating the cancer that almost killed her as a child. Surviving Mindoir and later, Akuze. Putting her life on the line each time she went out on a mission, and always returning. After ‘losing’ Mike over Alchera, Mack suffered through decidedly the most ‘black and blue’ period of her existence, and had her armor designed to reflect that. Even with Mike’s return, she kept it as her calling card, so to speak, wearing it more as a reminder to herself than anything that she was a survivor. As for weight, she prefers anything that will leave her suitably mobile, which usually translates into light or medium weight armors.


	8. Weapon of Choice

**8 // Weapon of Choice:** Does Shep have a favourite weapon? A favourite method of killing?

As a vanguard, Mike prefers weapons that work with his ‘up close and personal’ sort of battle style. Pistols are alright (as a child both he and Mack were trained by their father to use them), as are assault rifles, but after spending a goodly amount of time talking and fighting alongside Wrex, Mike becomes a fan of the shotgun. Further discussions with Tali proved informative, and by the time of the Reaper invasion, he is settled upon using standard N7 gear - the N7 Crusader and the N7 Eagle, unless he can get his hands on a Claymore (Wrex's lessons stuck well). However, his ‘favorite’ method of killing an enemy is to throw out a warp at them, followed by a biotic charge, the resultant biotic explosion being the near equivalent (to his way of thinking) and much more effective than a krogan headbutt. Having heard about an actual krogan headbutting incident on Tuchanka during their time apart from one another, Mack is of the opinion that perhaps her twin sustained some brain damage during that incident that hasn’t fully healed.

Being an infiltrator, Mack prefers weapons that will allow her to make silent, accurate shots from a long distance. To that end, her favorite is the Black Widow (three shots before having to reload is a very good thing!), hands down. She and Garrus go around in circles with their debates over the Mantis vs. the Black Widow, but in the end Mack prefers to let her weapon do the talking for her. ‘Headshot competitions’ with Garrus notwithstanding, Mack prefers being the ‘silent and deadly’ type. On the rare occasion she is forced into combat up close and personal, she always carries her M-6 Carnifex. Though Mike used to tease his twin after she joined the shooting team at school, he can’t argue with the fact that her expertise has saved his life on more than one occasion.


	9. Casual Affair

**9 // Casual Affair:** When not in armour or uniform, what does Shepard wear? What do they wear when partying?

For Mike out of uniform means old faded and worn t-shirts and ratty old denims, _IF_ he can find them. (His sister has a habit of removing these items when their state of repair gets beyond a certain point. Mike figures she must’ve made a promise to their mother at some point or another before they escaped Mindoir) Color doesn’t usually matter, though his preference is darker colors. When he needs to dress up, he’ll don dark slacks and a nice shirt (or, if the situation really demands it, a tux). Boots all the way, and not your standard issue Alliance boots either. Mike has a couple of pairs of nice leather boots (one for casual, one for dress) that he’ll wear.

Mack, though not a fashionista by a long shot, does take care to look ‘presentable’ when out of uniform. But given her predilection for solitude or remaining on the fringes of crowds, she figures she can get away without being on the cutting edge of style. Around her quarters or apartment, she can often be found in dark leggings and an oversized shirt, sometimes a cast-off of Mike’s if she’s snagged it before it becomes too ratty. When going out into a more public place, she’ll trade this out for either jeans or slacks and a nicer shirt. For parties, depending on the circumstances, she has a variety of options. Her favorite is a dark, smoky grey, long-sleeved wrap-around dress that falls just below her knees which she usually pair of knee-high black-heeled boots. She has little jewelry, though she does occasionally sport gold hoop earrings and a gold necklace with a pendant of a maple leaf on it that was given to her as a gift.


	10. Friends 5eva

**10 // Friends 5eva:** Who is Shepard’s best friend? Why?

Easy answer: each other. Mike and Mack have been together since before birth, technically speaking. They know each other inside and out and have lived/died for the other on occasion. They both know that if it wasn’t for the other, neither would have survived the attack on Mindoir when they were sixteen. In more recent times, despite certain issues that have cropped up between them, they know that they can depend upon the other no matter what.

Apart from that, though, Mike would probably say his best friends are Ashley Williams, Joker and Garrus. Though differing reasons exist, for the most part it’s because these three each have something in common with him - growing up with a sister. And while he will admit that he is probably closer to Mack than to any other person, she still confounds him. Ash, Joker and Garrus all give him insight into Mack in ways that he doesn’t normally see her. Plus, of course, there’s the drinking thing too. Who else (except Joker - can’t break the best pilot in the galaxy, after all!) could he rely on when stumbling around the Citadel (or other location) on leave?

Mack would say her best friends are Kaidan Alenko, Liara T’Soni and Tali vas Normandy. Like Mike, this would be for varying reasons, but for the most part she feels that they understand her, accept her and her more ... introvertive ways. Who else could she discuss things like history, tech or battle strategy and tactics with? In them she also finds a grounding force when needed. It isn’t easy being sister to the first human Spectre at times, and with them she has found she can let that go and just be herself without the weight of added expectations.


	11. Undercover Lover

**11 // Undercover Lover:** Who is Shepard’s love interest? Why?

Though reluctant to admit it to anyone, Mike is a bit of a romantic at heart. He likes the ladies, dated quite a bit while in school and since, but until he met Ashley Williams had yet to find his ‘one’. In Ashley, however, he found the culmination of what he knew he wanted in a friend/partner/lover. It didn’t sink in at first, though. At their first meeting he thought she was a hell of a soldier, of course. They talked a bit, though in some ways she seemed to get on better as friends with Mack than with him. It wasn’t until he overheard her reciting poetry that something in him just ... clicked. Her voice, the words, the emotion behind it ... all of it spoke to him in a way he was rather reluctant to admit to himself. She must have noticed because when next they spoke, there was a difference. Their relationship continued to grow, the only real hiccup coming during the time he worked with Cerberus to defeat the Collectors. Those months were a challenge, and perhaps he did ‘stray’ temporarily. But it was during the Reaper War that he and Ash resolved any outstanding issues between them and finally admitted their feelings for one another.

Her quiet, introspective nature often kept Mack from pursuing anyone she that might have interested her in the days before serving in the Alliance. She never dated in school, and only attended the sophomore dance because her twin asked his friend to take her (Mike thought he was doing her a favor, and Mack hadn’t the heart to disappoint him no matter how uncomfortable she was). Since then, however, she has taken command of her own personal life, though her twin tends to stick his nose into her business anyway despite her protests. Before meeting Kaidan Alenko, Mack hadn’t really found anyone who really interested her let alone understood her. However, upon their first meeting aboard the SR1, she noticed something about him that seemed to speak to her where no one had before. Though their relationship evolved slowly, it was a steady progression (which had nothing to do with the words of warning Mike gave Kaidan when he found out about it). After the defeat of Saren and Sovereign, Kaidan remained on the Citadel with her as she recovered from her injuries and assisted with the clean up of Reaper technology. He was also there for her when she found out about the loss of Mike over Alchera. Their relationship hasn't always been an easy road, but it has survived the test of trials and time, and their bond is closer than ever. 


	12. We Three

**12 // We Three:** Who is in Shepard’s favourite shore party? Or do they chop and change?

Mike’s favorite squad: ME1: Ashley and Tali ME2: Garrus and Grunt ME3: Ashley and Garrus

Mack’s favorite squad: ME1: Kaidan and Wrex ME2: Ashley and Kaidan (AU, I know, but relevant to the twins’ story) ME3: Kaidan and James or Liara

Basically, both twins understand the need for a balanced squad, and therefore do what they can to that end.


	13. Land Amongst the Stars

**13 // Land Amongst the Stars:** What’s Shepard’s favourite galactic location? Why?

Mike’s favorite place in the galaxy would be the Citadel. To him, it’s the perfect embodiment of how life should be - always something to do at all hours of the day, everyone and everything alive around you, a place where you can be the center of attention or hide away from it all. 

Mack has no one favorite place. At one point in time, she might have said it was Mindoir, but since leaving she’s not so focused on places. Though she finds beauty in many of the planets they visit, no matter the circumstances for said visit, she no longer claims one place to hold sway over her reactions more than any other. 


	14. Man's Best Friend

**14 // Man’s Best Friend:** Does Shepard have any pets? Why/why not?

Growing up on Mindoir, the Shepard family farm was home to three dogs and four cats. After their rather abrupt departure, though, it was years before either Mike or Mack felt a desire to take up responsibility for anyone or thing other than themselves. 

Until Mike’s service on the SR2. Though not a fan of fish (that was his sister’s sort of thing, not his) he did purchase some (again, more as a way to connect with his twin who was not with him at the time than any source of companionship) as well as a hamster. Later, when reunited once more, Mack was offered the fish but, to Mike’s surprise and dismay, it was the hamster who chose her, leaving him unexpectedly stuck with the fish. To this end, Ashley and Liara suggested he purchase the VI for the fishtank so that he would no longer have to remember to feed them and therefore not have the guilt of their deaths upon him. Rather than argue, he bought the damned VI.

Mack had a tendency to develop close bonds with animals. The dogs and cats at the family home had come about because of her, after all. But it was a real surprise when her twin’s hamster more or less adopted HER, instead of the other way around. Mike had pulled him out for her to hold and before she could react, the critter had scampered up her arm and shoulder, finding a hidey spot beneath her hair at the base of her neck. From that moment forward, it was ‘love at first sight,’ and even Kaidan couldn’t argue with her when she moved the hamster cage down to her quarters afterwards.


	15. In Something We Trust

**15 // In Something We Trust:** _Is Shepard religious? Do they have any key beliefs or moral motifs that guide them?_

In their youth, Mike and Mack attended church regularly with their parents. The basic tenets of their faith were instilled upon them at this time and would guide their decisions for a long time to come. Mack seemed to take more of a personal interest in it at the time, though the rest of the family assumed (rightly) that it had more to do with her survival from the tumor than anything else. For that, they would all agree that intervention of a divine sort had been involved to some degree or another. 

The batarian attack changed everything.

During their flight to freedom, Mike and Mack both encountered situations that put their faith to the test. Having to kill, even under the guise of self defense, was not a decision they made lightly. They tried to avoid it at first, until such a time when the only way in which Mack could save her twin’s life was to put a bullet in a batarian’s head. That one shot gave them both something to think about from that point forward.

After their escape, once in foster care, both found it difficult to return to where they had been before. Mike flat out refused to return, claiming religion was nothing but a ‘load of bunk’ used to spur on hatred and prejudice that led to situations like what happened on Mindoir in the first place. Mack tried to go back to it, to use her faith as a way to guide herself (and by association, her twin) through their experiences, but even she had to admit after a while that it just wasn’t working. By the time they both enlisted at age eighteen, they had moved beyond the need for religious guidance, yet each found their way back in quite different ways.

Anger would fuel Mike for a long time. Anger at what had happened on Mindoir, later at what happened to his twin on Akuze. Yet, he found a strength in that anger to keep him going which was, in part, what guided him through his mission on Torfan. It wasn’t until he met Ashley Williams that he began re-evaluating things. Though he would not admit it for a long time, it was discussions with Ash and later his ‘rise from the dead’ that ultimately guided him back. And while he might often argue against it, particularly in the face of the Reaper attack on the galaxy, in the end he found that it did give him some solace.

Though Mack refused to give up on her faith completely, she did admit there was a long span of time in which she felt ... lost. Mindoir certainly contributed to that, Akuze as well. Even having to view her twin’s actions at Torfan played into it. But Mack had time and patience, and even if she did not exhibit her faith in an overt manner, she still felt its guiding hand in much of her life. Talking with Ash helped. Occasional discussions with other friends, both human and non, also helped, particularly after Mike’s death. By the time of the Reaper War, her faith was one of the few things that she was able to hold onto in the face of galactic destruction, and in it she found hope.


	16. Fire and Ice

**16 // Fire and Ice:** Paragon or Renegade? Why?

Though he has a more outgoing, in your face sort of style with people, most especially when it comes to being an Alliance officer, Mike is fairly balanced between the two. He will do whatever it takes to get the job done and fulfill his duties, and if ‘playing nice’ doesn’t work, he’s not above making the harder choices. Many seem to think this stems from PTSD or leftover issues from what happened on Mindoir, but really that does not come into play. He is and always has been a person who will speak his mind. If that comes across as more renegade at times, so be it.

Mack leans heavily towards paragon, though there have been (and will no doubt be in future) times when she will resort to renegade. One incident that comes to mind immediately when she’s posed this question is her reaction to Admiral Han’Gerrel after rescuing Legion from the geth dreadnaught. From all accounts, she startled everyone in the war room, quarians and her crew alike, when she punched the Admiral and ordered him off the ship. Even Mike wasn’t going to remind her that he was, technically, ship’s captain and therefore the decision lay with him. When later confronted about it by her crew, Mack simply shrugged. “He pissed me off.”


	17. Among Ancestors

**17 // Among Ancestors:** What is Shepard’s racial ancestry? Do they feel closely linked with their cultural identity?

Mike and Mack aren’t quite certain of their entire ancestry. They know the majority of their descendants were from North America (their mother was in process of researching this at the time of the attack on Mindoir), there was a bit of Northern European thrown in as well. There was a rumour that their line could be traced back to Robert the Bruce of Scotland on one side, but that had yet to be proven. Of the two, Mack was probably more interested in the makeup of their past given her natural inclination towards learning, reading, and solving riddles like genealogical links. But, beyond that, neither is overly concerned with their racial background. They are who they are and their actions speak to that, not the color of their skin or the makeup of their dna.


	18. No Place Like Home

**18 // No Place Like Home:** How does Shepard feel about Earth?

Mike and Mack have no real connection to Earth in their background. They have visited, of course, in the line of duty. Most of what they know, though, comes from interaction with others who are from there. Of the two, Mack might be considered to have a stronger ‘connection’ to it, perhaps, if only because of her close relationship with Kaidan. 


	19. Down-Time

**19 // Down-time:** What does Shep do for fun when off duty?

Mike is all for anything sports related. He used to be captain of the football team in school, but will go for any sport. More recently, Vega and Cortez have pulled him into watching biotiball. He also likes going to the Armax Arena with any of his crew willing to go along with him. 

Mack, as per her nature, prefers more quiet things. Reading, listening to music. She, too, enjoys an odd match at the Armax Arena, and has even teamed up with her twin once or twice, though she’d be the first to tell you she prefers to go up against him instead. She also has a taste for the stage and will, upon occasion, attend a theatre production. As of yet, she is still waiting to see the Elcor production of _Hamlet_. 


	20. NSFW

**20 // NSFW:** Does Shepard have any fetishes, kinks, or turn ons? Or are they not very sexually inclined?

Mike is simple enough in his tastes. Particularly since meeting Ashley, his tastes have matured, so to speak. When younger, he found great enjoyment in the challenge of the ‘chase,’ of convincing a girl she wanted to be with him. Upon meeting the Chief, all that was tossed out the window when she made it quite clear that the ‘chase,’ as he put it (and Mack warned her) would not be acceptable. So began a long and bumpy road, involving trial and error, and quite a bit of poetry reading … which, Mike discovered, he rather enjoyed, though very few knew it.

Mack, however, hides a somewhat less reserved personality behind her calm, quiet and reserved personality. She was surprised to find that some of the greatest turn ons for her included simple things - holding hands, snuggling on a couch together, etc. - as well as far more outgoing activities, including dancing together. Thankfully, Kaidan was more than willing to indulge the many sides of her fascinating personality, if not quite willing to share.


	21. Exceptions to the Rule

**22 // Exceptions to the Rule:** What is the one thing that Shepard bends the rules for? Do they have a weakness, or perhaps a solid moral line they refuse to cross?

Mike does not let the rules stand in the way of getting a job done. He will do whatever is necessary to that end. However, the one person who can get him to hesitate, particularly if his actions affect or even involve her, is his twin. You could say his one ‘weakness’ is his love for her, maybe. Also, though ruthless in his actions and decisions, he is not a vengeful person by nature unless he’s been provoked on a very personal level. Attacks against his sister fall against that category too. He has spent his life watching out for her, caring for her, protecting her in any way he can, and that never will change. 

Mack is a ‘by the rules’ sort of person, but she is not afraid to bend them, or even break them, if/when necessary. Her habit is to think things through as thoroughly as possible before making a decision, however. Even when given little time, she will give things as much consideration as possible. She tries to be impartial as much as possible, not allowing outside influences or the past to affect her decision making. Only one time did she let this get in the way ….


	22. What's Your Poison?

**23 // What’s your Poison:** What would Shepard order at a bar? Would they buy the drinks?

Mike is a beer person. None of the fancy mixed drinks or wine or anything. Maybe, occasionally, something straight up, on the rocks. But for the most part, beer will do (He finds Samantha’s ability to mix/make/list drinks at the party amusing, though a serious waste on him). 

Mack, on the other hand, is not a serious drinker. This has less to do with the loss of control that drinking can achieve - even she believes there’s a time and place for that, occasionally even a need - and more to do with the fact that she just doesn’t really care for it. She’ll have an occasional glass of wine. Once in awhile a mixed ‘floofy’ drink (as Mike will call it). But overall, she simply doesn’t care for it. Only once, after losing her twin over Alchera, does she fall ‘victim’ to the bottle to hide away from reality. But thanks to loyal and caring friends, she was able to keep from sinking too far down into despair.

As for buying the drinks? Well, that would depend on the situation. Mike and Mack are more than willing to buy a round if out in a group (yes, even Mack who most likely will just be drinking something soft) of friends. The real fun, though, comes when deciding which twin will pay. From the beginning of service in the marines together, Mike and Mack have always competed against each other in everything they did. Once they started moving up in rank, though, it became apparent in other ways, too. 

One small way in which they compete is in deciding who has to pay for their ‘round’ of drinks (eventually it will result in two separate rounds, but the competition is always to see who has to pay the 1st round). Each twin has a unit ‘challenge’ coin. One side is the N7 designation, the other Alliance (though once Mack is made a Spectre, she had one commissioned that shows her N7/Alliance designation on one side, her Spectre rank on the other). If one of the twins does not have their challenge coin on hand, they have to pay for drinks first. If they both have it (or not), they usually default to the person who had to pay first last time. 

Mack is quite proud to say she has yet to be caught without her coin. Mike only wishes he could say as much.


	23. So You Think You Can Dance

**24 // So you think you can Dance:** How bad is Shepard _really?_

Of the twins, the Normandy crew will assure everyone that it is Mack who can dance and Mike who cannot. Despite grace and skill of movement in battle, Mike just cannot seem to translate that into anything remotely resembling an ability to dance on a dance floor. 

Mack, on the other hand, is just as graceful on the dance floor as off. She finds it amusing that the crew focuses so much on how awful her twin is at dancing, even commenting about it aboard ship, and yet, on the rare occasion she gets out there, they oooh and ahhh about how good she is, yet these comments do not seem to circulate. Apparently, they find more fun in teasing their captain. 


	24. My Body Is A Canvas

**25 // My Body is a Canvas:** Ink, scars and piercings? Tell us all about Shepard’s markings.

As far as ink and piercings go, Mike has none for the simple reason that, unless he is under serious medical care for some reason (and even then it has to be life or death), he will not allow anyone near him who has a needle. Scars, of course, he has plenty of given his life as a vanguard and being in the thick of battle. Additionally, he has some remaining from the Lazarus project reconstruction. Dr. Chakwas offered him the chance to permanently remove those, but he refused.

Mack, too, has an assortment of scars, though most of hers are not so much from battle (there are a few, of course. She can’t always remain at a distance) as they are from her past medical history. She does have one tattoo, though only one other knows of it and she refuses to speak of it to anyone. It is something private for her, a decision she and one other made and has special meaning to only that one other person. No one else needs now, as far as she is concerned. Piercings? Her ears are pierced, that’s it.


	25. No Regrets

**26 // No Regrets:** But what does Shepard regret the most?

Mike’s biggest regret is that his twin had to go for over two years believing he was dead. He and Mack are beyond close. In battle together, they are so hyper-aware of the other, they know the moment one is injured or requires assistance. His time with Cerberus, while he would not go back and change his decision to assist in the hut for the Collectors and their base, he still occasionally wishes things could have been different.

Mack’s biggest regret is that she could not make the Council/Alliance see the enormity of the threat that the Reapers represented better than she and her twin did. Had they been able to convince them of that, the galaxy might have been better prepared for the War that had to be fought. And while she realizes that some of this also lies on her shoulders for not believing and supporting Mike during his hunt for the Collector base, she also knows that without complete and total support from the Council, nothing would have ever been able to have been achieved anyway.


	26. In My Head

**27 // In My Head:** What are some of your personal headcanons regarding the Mass Effect universe?

Headcanons for Mike:

  * Whenever Mike is having difficulties understanding some aspect of his relationship with Ashley, he’ll call up Wrex and if Wrex is on the Citadel and available they’ll go out and commiserate either by going to enter a tournament at the Armax Arena or a night out drinking. He pointedly ignores the messages sent his way from Bakara afterwards.



Headcanons for Mack:

  * Mack is very wary of EDI … until the first time she overhears the AI attempting to ‘joke’ with her twin. The look on Mike’s face sets Mack off laughing so hard she can’t help but appreciate EDI’s attempt, and from that moment forward, will take time to assist EDI in refining her skills. 
  * Mack and Ashley essentially ‘adopt’ one another as sisters and, like true siblings of the female variety, enjoy the tormenting of Mike in subtle but very effective ways.
  * When Mack has trouble sleeping, Kaidan has taken to counting the freckles across the bridge of her nose and beneath her eyes out loud to help her relax and fall asleep.




	27. The End of All Things

**28 // The End of All Things:** How did it end for Shepard? Control, Synthesis, Destroy or Rebel? Or do you headcanon another ending?

Well, considering that I’m headcanoning twin Shepards here, as well as the fact that both Ashley and Kaidan survive Virmire, I suppose it’s safe to say I headcanon a different ending. However, based on the fact that I am still working out the details of their story (but yes, I DO know the ending in my head), I will not divulge it here. Suffice it to say that it is a variation on the Destroy ending, yet not everyone survives. There will be some twists, some turns, and potential for a sequel (if I haven’t totally lost my mind by then with another bazillion** Shepard story ideas). 

Hints HAVE been given during this meme, by things said and not said, should anyone wish to take a guess ….

*** Considering it's been at least four or five years since I originally wrote these up, suffice it to say those bazillion Shepards did indeed take over my brain! LOL However, Mike and Mack decided to poke at me quite HARD today, so I may get around to writing a few bits and bobs up, as well as some Tumblr prompt responses. Anything for them will fall under this series.


End file.
